This week, the Ducklings were excited to welcome a very special visitor to our classroom – Cooper the dog, along with his trainer, Dean! Cooper is a regular at our school as part of the Pets As Therapy (PAT) programme, and this was his first visit to our new Ducklings. The children had a wonderful time getting to know Cooper and watching him explore our classroom. In fact, many of the children were so inspired by Cooper’s visit that they created pictures of him!
Therapy dogs like Cooper bring so many benefits to the school environment. Research shows that they help improve cognitive skills by stimulating memory and problem-solving abilities through their companionship. Socially, they provide a common, positive topic for children to talk about, encouraging responsibility and interaction with peers.
Emotionally, a dog can boost self-esteem and lift mood, bringing fun and laughter into the classroom. Children also learn compassion and respect for other living things, while anxiety is often reduced in their presence. Physically, interacting with a therapy dog can lower blood pressure and give children motivation to move and engage in physical activity.
The benefits extend to the overall school environment too. Cooper helps create a calm, family-like atmosphere, with many of these positive effects continuing long after the day has ended. One particularly exciting benefit is for reading: children can read to dogs like Cooper, which helps develop their literacy skills and confidence. A non-judgemental, comforting presence, like Cooper, creates the perfect setting for children to practise reading aloud.
Cooper thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the children and exploring the Ducklings’ classroom. We’re already looking forward to his next visit!
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